Device for forming continuous walls, by means of consecutive, reinforced-concrete panels

ABSTRACT

A device for forming a continuous reinforced concrete wall in which the reinforcement overlaps between adjacent sections of the wall to provide continuity of sheer strength in the wall. The method utilizes a mould end of the invention, which is shaped to protect projecting ends of reinforcement bars during casting of a concrete panel forming the wall. The next cast panel is then cast around the projecting free ends of the reinforcement bars of the previous panel.

United States Patent 1 Field of Search ..6l/35, 59, 39, 50;

Baar 51 Apr. 24, 1973 i 1 DEVICE FOR FORMING CONTINUOUS [56] References Cited WALLS, BY MEANS OF CONSECUTIVE, REINFORCED- UNTED STATES PATENTS I CONCRETE PANELS 3,43l,736 3/1969 Ueda ..6l/35 [75] Inventor: Michel Armand Rene Alfred Baar, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Liege, Belgium 58l,869 lO/l924 France ..249/83 [73] Assignee: Compagnie Internationale des Pieux Armes Frankignoul, Societe Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Anonyme, Liege, Belgium Attorney-Nolte & Nolte [22] Filed: Dec. 2, 1970 ABSTRACT [21 1 App! 9437l A device for forming a continuous reinforced concrete wall in which the reinforcement overlaps between ad- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data jacent sections of the wall to provide continuity of D 16 969 L b 6002 sheer strength in the wall. The method utilizes a uxem 0mg l mould end of the invention, which is shaped to protect projecting ends of reinforcement bars during casting .[gi] :LSgl. ..249/10, 6l/l;9d224g/:6 of a concrete panel forming the wall The next cast nt. d 0 panel is then cast round the projecting ree e ds of the reinforcement bars of the previous panel.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented April 24', 1973 3,729,164

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented April 24, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented April 24, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WWW/z 4TTOvP VEKS' DEVICE FOR FORMING CONTINUOUS WALLS, BY MEANS OF CONSECUTIVE, REINFORCED- CONCRETE PANELS The present invention relates to a device for forming continuous, reinforced-concrete walls which are cast in the ground, the said device permitting the location, within walls of this kind, of a main horizontal, continuous reinforcement.

According to the conventional methods for forming continuous, reinforced-concrete walls cast in the ground the wall comprises independant reinforced panels in which between the main reinforcement does not pass through the take up joint adjacent panels, the joint located between two consecutive panels constituting only a sealing joint which can, in any case, offer only slight resistance to shear loads.

The present invention has the aim of creating a continuous, reinforced-concrete wall, which is cast in the ground, by means of consecutive panels which are provided with a continuous, horizontal reinforcement.

The invention consists in a screening device for use in the construction of continuous concrete walls from reinforced concrete panels cast individually, comprising an elongate column adapted to be positioned in a mould trench to form an end of the mould, the column having a profiled casting face with at least one longitudinally extending slot-like recess therein for receiving and shielding the ends of reinforcing bars of a concrete panel to be cast.

The invention further consists in a method of constructing a continuous concrete wall cast in the ground including the steps of forming a mould trench in the ground, placing a screening device as set out in the preceding paragraph in said trench to form an end panel for a mould cavity in which a panel is to be cast, with said profiled face inwardly directed towards the mould cavity with an end of the bars located in said recess of said screening device and introducing concrete into the mould cavity thus to form a concrete panel formed.

The invention will now be particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flat deep trench ready for the formation of a reinforced-concrete panel which is moulded in the ground, according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the trench of FIG. 1, at the ends of which are laid two screen-joints according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a reinforcement laid inthe trench.

FIG. 4 is a view in partial section showing, in part, the trench illustrated in the preceding Figures and now filled with concrete, and also the trench extended for j the formation ofa further panel.

FIG. 7.

In application of the method according to the invention, an excavation is effected, in a known manner of a flat trench, under drilling mud based on bentonite or other suitable material. Such a trench 10 is shown in FIG. 1, and has a pre-determined depth but may be of circular shape or any other suitable shape.

Once this trench has been completely dug out to the desired depth, shape and size, a screen-joint 11, which is described in greater detail below, is lowered in at each end of the excavation.

This screen-joint 11 is constructed in the form of a column extending the depth of the trench and may be hollow or solid. The screen-joint preferably has, as in the example illustrated, one concave face 11a and an opposite, profiled face 11b. The profile of the said fac 1 lb has a longitudinal recess 12.

Near the lateral edges of the screen-joint 11, two deep recesses 13 are formed, which are intended to receive the ends 14 of a reinforcing cage 15 illustrated in FIG. 3, and to largely protect the said ends of the excavation from being filled by concrete during casting of the panel.

If the panel in question is to be a primary one, after the screen-joints 11 have been placed in position at the two ends of the trench 10, with their concave faces turned towards the corresponding ends of the said trench, the reinforcing cage 15 is lowered into the said trench, which is still full of the drilling mud used during excavation. During this lowering operation, the free ends 14 of the horizontal reinforcing bars of the cages 15 engage in the two deep recesses 13 formed in the screen-joints 11 (FIG. 3.)

Once the reinforcement has been placed in position, a plunger tube is lowered to the bottom of the excavation, whereupon concrete is discharged from the said plunger tube in sufficient quantities to fill up the entire excavation, in accordance with the conventional operating procedure for this kind of work.

In order to prevent the concrete from penetrating into the two slots 13 formed in each screen-joint 11 during the pouring of the filling concrete under the drilling mud, a strip 16 of perforated sheet-metal is placed in position beforehand on the reinforcing cage, said strip of sheet-metal being provided with holes 17 through which the free ends 14 of the horizontal bars of the said reinforcing cage pass.

For the purpose of applying and firmly maintaining the strip 16 against the screen-joint 11, the strip is subjected to the action of springs 18 which bear against it and are fixed, at their other ends, to the horizontal bars by any suitable means (FIGS. 7 and 8).

In order to prevent the concrete setting on the face 11b of the screen-joints, the latter are constantly displaced preferably vertically reciprocably, with the aid of hydraulic jacks, for a sufficient number of hours to permit easier removal from the mould.

After the concrete has set, the excavation operation for the next panel proceeds, using the corresponding adjacent screen-joint, which is still in place, as a guide for the excavating grab in order to ensure perfect continuity of the abovementioned excavation.

The presence of this screen-joint also makes it possible to keep the ends 14 of the reinforcingcage, which is already in place, shielded from any contamination, deformation or impacts caused by possible passage due to the grab or boring bit, or any other tool or machine.

When the mould trench for the next panel has been completely excavated and is ready to be concreated, the screen-joint 11 is easily withdrawn, because it has been continuously displaced to prevent adhesion thereto by the concrete, and is then placed at the other end of the trench, whereupon a new reinforcing cage 19 is placed in position (FlG.-) in this trench, in the same way as for the formation of the preceding panel.

Depending upon the intended purpose of the wall under construction, the screen-joint 11, which is on the left when viewing FIGS. 2 and 3, may be withdrawn, the gap which it leaves vacant then being filled with concrete or else this joint may be retained for the sake of a possible extension of the wall at this end.

The new reinforcing cage 19 is guided into position at the screen-joint end, by the two deep slots 13 which are penetrated by the free ends or toothing bars intended to serve as a connection with the reinforcing cage of the panel to be formed next. At its other end this reinforcing cage is guided by a continuous, or discontinuous, metal sheet 20 which is integral with the said reinforcing cage and has the same conformation as the concrete nose 21 which was formed, when the preceding panel was concreted, by the longitudinal recess 12 in the profiled face 11b of the screen-joint (FIG. 5).

It should be noted that the free ends 22 of th horizontal bars of the reinforcing cage 19 are slightly offset towards the inside so that they can come into juxtaposition with the free ends 14 of the'reinforcement of the preceding panel.

Once this reinforcing cage has been placed in position, the concreting of the trench may be carried out,.

the screen-joint 11 being constantly displaced vertically in order to avoid adhesion by the concrete, as described in connection with the formation of the first panel.

It will be noted that the outer bars of the horizontal network of the reinforcing cages are situated very close to the outer faces of the wall and leave, after moulding, only a thin layer of concrete, which is nevertheless sufficient to ensure proper covering of the said bars.

The free ends or toothing bars 14 and 22 have a length which is sufficient to ensure proper covering thereof and perfect transmission of the traction forces, in order to thus obtain continuity of the reinforced concrete panels which constitute the continuous wall cast in the ground.

On the other hand, the nose 21 formed by the longitudinal cavity 12, which is preferably of trapezoidal cross-section and is provided in that face of the screenjoint 11 against which the filling concrete is to be cast,

makes up part of the thickness of the cast wall and forms an impression in the concrete 0f the succeeding panel which makes it possible, at this joining point, to more successfully withstand shear stresses, while the said impression extends the line of contact between the concretes, thus ensuring better sealing.

I claim:

1. A mould end device for forming a continuous wall from reinforced concrete panels cast in successive portions in a trench dug in the ground, each concrete panel comprising reinforcement basket means having at its both ends lateral extensions protected from concrete during concrete casting of said panel; wherein said device com rises substantially yertical columns having a substantia ly four-sided form in cross section, two opposite parallel lateral faces of which are adapted to be located adjacent to the longitudinal walls of the trench, the other faces of said columns being respectively a casting face for said concrete panel and an opposite face having in cross section a semi-circular concave shape to constitute a guide for a grab of an excavator for extending said trench, said casting face being provided with a central trapezoidal recess extending longitudinally along said casting face and with two parallel longitudinally extending slots located in planes parallel to said lateral faces and on each side of said central recess near said parallel opposite faces for receiving and shielding said lateral extensions of said basket means.

2. A'mould end device for use in the forming of a continuous wall from reinforced concrete panels cast in successive portions in a trench dug in the ground, said concrete panels being of the type having reinforced basket means with extensions adapted to project laterally from the panels; said mould device comprising a four-sided vertical column having a pair of parallel opposite lateral faces adapted to be positioned adjacent the longitudinal walls of the trench, a casting face joining the lateral faces on first edges thereof, and an opposite face joining the lateral faces on the opposite edges thereof, said casting face having a central longitudinally extending recess, said opposite face having a longitudinally extending excavator guide slot, said column further having first and second parallel longitu-.

dinally extending slots in said casting face on, opposite sides of said central recess in planes parallel to said lateral faces and adjacent said lateral faces for receiving said extensions of said basket means. 

1. A mould end device for forming a continuous wall from reinforced concrete panels cast in successive portions in a trench dug in the ground, each concrete panel comprising reinforcement basket means having at its both ends lateral extensions protected from concrete during concrete casting of said panel; wherein said device comprises substantially vertical columns having a substantially four-sided form in cross section, two opposite parallel lateral faces of which are adapted to be located adjacent to the longitudinal walls of the trench, the other faces of said columns being respectively a casting face for said concrete panel and an opposite face having in cross section a semi-circular concave shape to constitute a guide for a grab of an excavator for extending said trench, said casting face being provided with a central trapezoidal recess extending longitudinally along said casting face and with two parallel longitudinally extending slots located in planes parallel to said lateral faces and on each side of said central recess near said parallel opposite faces for receiving and shielding said lateral extensions of said basket means.
 2. A mould end device for use in the forming of a continuous wall from reinforced concrete panels cast in successive portions in a trench dug in the ground, said concrete panels being of the type having reinforced basket means with extensions adapted to project laterally from the panels; said mould device comprising a four-sided vertical column having a pair of parallel opposite lateral faces adapted to be positioned adjacent the longitudinal walls of the Trench, a casting face joining the lateral faces on first edges thereof, and an opposite face joining the lateral faces on the opposite edges thereof, said casting face having a central longitudinally extending recess, said opposite face having a longitudinally extending excavator guide slot, said column further having first and second parallel longitudinally extending slots in said casting face on opposite sides of said central recess in planes parallel to said lateral faces and adjacent said lateral faces for receiving said extensions of said basket means. 